November 17 is Recipe Day! These family-friendly ideas will help parents teach cooking to the child with a disability.
Are you feeling the rush of preparing special holiday foods? In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October. The United States celebrates Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November. Of course, Christmas is fast approaching. Don't forget Recipe Day! I had never even heard of it until this week. No pressure there!
As we approach the holidays, lots of yummy recipes will be floating around. Grandma's pecan pie and Aunt Susie's Jello salad can do more than spark holiday memories and fill the hungry clan at your table.
Using Foods to Address Sensory Integration
- Consider how to use Jello to address tactile defensiveness. Sure it is supposed to be eaten, but there are many other ways to use this sticky food we have loved for generations.
- Introduce a new food (texture) by springboarding off of something your child already likes. For example, if your child loves the color red, introduce red applesauce (powdered Koolaid and a jar of applesauce mixed).
Using Foods to Address Reading and Math Skills Family celebrations are creations of love, traditions, and memories. This year, include your child with a disability in the preparations. Simple recipes allow for young cooks to show off their skills as well as building reading and math skills.
- Off-the-box recipes are perfect: Jello, pudding, cornbread, Koolaid, and prepackaged salads are fast and will appeal to the young feast -eaters at the table.
- Consider the count and bake goodies like frozen biscuits and dinner rolls.
- Have you invested in a children's cookbook? These offer simples instructions with pictures to practice reading and math.
- Betty Crocker Kids Cook, ISBN: 0028634063
- The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Children's Cookbook, ISBN: 1588164241
- DK Children's Cookbook, ISBN: 0756605970
- The Healthy Body Cookbook: Over 50 Fun Activities and Delicious Recipes for Kids, ISBN: 0471188883
- A First Cookbook for Children, ISBN: 0486242757
Note: If you are just too tired or hurried to cook with a helper this week, give a cookbook for a Thanksgiving evening gift. Then plan a special child-parent time to cook and have fun!
Using Foods to Encourage Social Language Skills Try these question and answers to build social language:
- Who made the ________? It tastes great!
- Do you want more ________? Yes, please / No, thank you.
- How many people want biscuits (substitute names of other foods)? (Count and serve.)
